South Koreans become skeptical of North Korea's pledge

By

Wooyoung Lee

A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Dec. 3, 2018, shows Kim Jong-un, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, inspecting the Wonsan Shoes Factory in Wonsan, North Korea. Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE

Some 45 percent of South Koreans doubt that North Korea will comply with the agreements signed at the summits with South Korea while 38 percent think it will keep its promise, according to a survey by Gallup Korea.

The pollster asked 1,003 South Korean adults from Tuesday to Thursday whether they think North Korea will keep the agreements. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to denuclearize and work towards to end the Korean War and settle peace on the Korean Peninsula at his summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The December poll showed that South Koreans have been growing skeptical of North Korea's willingness to keep its pledge. According to an April survey, 58 percent of South Koreans said they believe the North would implement the summit agreements. The first summit between North and South Korea took place on April 27.

"This reflects challenges that recently emerged in the North-South Korean relation," said Gallup Korea in a survey report.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, widely speculated to visit Seoul this month, is unlikely to visit the South Korean capital before the end of the year. Progress in denuclearization talks between the U.S. and South Korea has been slow, according to the report.

More than half of women respondents in their 30s and 40s think that North Korea will keep its promises while just 30 percent or under in other age and gender groups think it will comply with the agreements.

Some 24 percent of South Koreans think favorably of North Korean leader while 59 percent said they don't have a good impression of him.

Those in their 20s think negatively of him the most at 71 percent, followed by those in their 50s at 63 percent. Respondents in their 40s said they think favorably of him with 28 percent, the highest among other age groups.